if you want to cross the bridge, you've got to pay the toll
by Reine Des Livres
Summary: Loosely based on The Little Mermaid. Percy had always dreamed about leaving Atlantis behind and exploring the wonders of life on land, but when his life becomes tangled up with Jason's, he gets more than he bargained for. AU.


Percy's eyes followed the bubbles as they rose, up and up, towards the light of the sun, muffled by the moving waters of the sea.

His chest constricted, yearning to follow the little spheres of air, but he knew his father would never allow it. After all, the world above was dangerous and not to be trifled with. That didn't mean he wouldn't be upset about it though. His life here was boring and monotonous, his daily schedule never differed from the day before.

He often dreamed of exploring through forests and mountains, the natural phenomenon he'd only ever heard of in stories. His mother often told him bedtime tales of princes and dragons and towers. He likened himself to being trapped in a tower, unable to explore the neighboring lands.

He had brought up the thought to King Poseidon once but was met with nothing but fury. His father refused to listen to his pleads, claiming that as crown prince, Percy should occupy himself with his duties rather than useless desires.

"Percy!"

Turning to see who had called him, he had only a few moments to prepare himself before Tyson, his baby brother, barreled into him.

He grunted, "Tyson, I think you've doubled in size since the last time I saw you."

"I'm going to be bigger than you soon!" Tyson gave him a toothy grin.

Chuckling, Percy lifted him into the air. "You sure will. You'll be carrying me like this, right?"

"Of course," he nodded importantly. His air of sophistication was ruined by an angry growling by his stomach.

Percy gasped and pretended to be worried. He lowered his head and dramatically whispered, "What monster was that?"

Tyson giggled, "I don't know."

"You don't know? Well, I guess that means I have to attack the monster!"

The little merman's laughter rung through the kingdom as he was tickled mercilessly by Percy's fingers. He managed to escape only a few moments later, swimming rapidly back to the castle. Percy began to chase after, but then he noticed a strange contraption on the floor of the sea.

It was a shiny grey, glinting under the light. The shape was rather odd: long and narrow, until the end, where it split into four thinner pieces. Percy picked it up in wonderment. He could hardly imagine what it could be used for.

He sighed. Tyson had served as a wonderful distraction, but now that he was left alone, the mysterious item simply reminded him of the fact that he would be stuck in Atlantis for the rest of his life. He glanced at the castle lights in the distance. The city of Atlantis was beautiful, but after living in the city for 18 years, it seemed dreadfully small.

He shook himself, telling himself that he needed to stop thinking about the surface. To get his mind off of it, he decided to go to the training field. He followed the familiar seashell path that connected everything in the kingdom. When he arrived, he realized that his best friend was already there.

"Care to spar?"

Grey eyes looked up at him. "Only if you don't mind that you'll get your butt kicked."

He smirked, "Chase, need I remind you of the last time we sparred?"

"Oh yeah? And what about the time before that?"

He felt his smile grow wider. "Guess it's time for a tiebreaker."

"It's on Jackson," Annabeth's eyes narrowed in concentration.

But Percy himself just couldn't concentrate. Annabeth noticed immediately that Percy had something on his mind and had unarmed him in minutes.

She threw down her own sword afterward and swam over to him. Concern filled her eyes as she nudged the prince. "Percy? Something must truly be terrible if you can't even last five minutes against me."

He tried to smile but his chest felt heavy. "I— Have you— I mean— "

"Yes?"

Taking a deep breath, he hesitantly asked, "Have you ever wanted to visit the surface?"

Her expression hardened. "Why do you ask?"

"Just— Just wondering." He looked up and could see that the sun had since set. Everything was dark above; the only source of light came from the palace and the surrounding villages.

Annabeth sighed. "Perhaps I did a long time ago. But that was before my brother disappeared."

Percy's ears perked up. He didn't even know Annabeth had a brother, and he was rather ashamed of that since they had been best friends for years. "Your brother?"

She smiled wryly. "He was like you, always dreaming of life away from Atlantis. I don't know what happened, but I just remember one day he was going to figure out a way to walk on land."

"And did he succeed?"

"I'm not sure if I hope that he did succeed because at least he would have gotten what he wanted or if I hope he didn't so one day he could come back. That was years ago though, so I've given up hope of ever seeing him again."

Percy didn't know what to say, so he merely touching his shoulder to hers. Though it was precisely the opposite of her intention, her words sent his thoughts whirling. He knew the dire consequences, but he couldn't help but wonder if it was possible. The idea of having legs instead of a tail was both thrilling and terrifying.

"You better not be thinking about what I think you're thinking," Annabeth warned, with a knowing glint in her eyes.

He quickly shook his head, "Of course not. I was just wondering what could have happened to him."

She didn't look appeased. "Nothing good can come from that, you know."

"I know that, Annabeth. Don't worry about me." Percy knew she wasn't convinced, but he doubted she would further press the matter.

She cleared her throat. "We should head back to the palace."

He nodded and, with a mischievous grin, exclaimed, "Race you there!"

The two sped off in a flurry of tails.

* * *

Percy hated these dinners, where merpeople of relatively high standing came to eat with the royal family with the sole purpose of complaining. He didn't see the point of them, but his father insisted on listening to the problems of his subjects.

He passed his time counting the pillars holding up the dining hall, and when he was done with that, counting the shells that decorated each, until he was jerked from his thoughts by a very interesting complaint.

An angry voice echoed through the room. Lord Proteus, Percy thinks was his name. "We've got to do something about the kingdom of Olympus sending ships to the middle of the ocean to fish. They keep capturing dolphins — our citizens — in their nets, dangering the entire species. Who knows when an unlucky merperson will find themself trapped in one of their nets?"

Murmurs rumbled throughout the space as many agreed with the lord, afraid that the secret of their existence would soon be exposed, but Percy'd father silenced them.

Poseidon cleared his throat. "For now, all we can do is tell the younger merpeople to stay away from the fishing areas. If they get any closer to the city, we'll start threatening them."

Percy felt a thrill of excitement go down his spine. Whenever there was a mission involving a warning rather than an outright fight, the king sent the Sirens.

Only a select few people of Atlantis are Sirens. It was an ability you had to be born with, and there was no predicting who would because it wasn't passed down genetically. It just appeared as it liked. And he happened to be one of them. Sirens had a magical voice, capable of rendering a person incapacitated. The most powerful of them could control the minds of others.

Poseidon rarely allowed Percy to lead missions, preferring to send Prince Triton, who was third in line to the throne and therefore whose death would be a little less dire than that of the crown prince. However, when it came to using Siren abilities, he had no choice but to risk Percy, whose voice was the most beautiful voice any citizen of Atlantis had ever heard.

Regardless, he felt bitter at usually being left behind because he was more than just a voice. His sword fighting skills were almost unparalleled. Except, of course, when he was horribly distracted by the idea of visiting the surface.

Suddenly, he realized the rest of the table was staring at him. Flushing, he asked, "Sorry, Father, could you repeat that?"

Poseidon pursed his lips. "I have decided you, Perseus, will lead an investigation on the fishing boats. Don't make me regret that." He looked pointedly at his son, who then bowed his head, partially to hide the way he cringed at the sound of his given name.

"Yes, Father."

From the corner of his eye, he caught Lord Proteus frowning at him, but he chose not to pay any attention to him. He turned his attention instead back to his father, who was now giving instruction about another political matter that was of no interest to him. He sighed. Triton really was more suited to the position of the crown prince than him.

As dinner came to a close and most of the court had left, Percy was preparing to stand up to leave when the soft voice of his mother beckoned him to stay. Though he had no desire to stay another moment in the dining hall, he would never refuse his mother.

Queen Sally was the most beautiful and kindhearted mermaid Percy had ever known. He thought she deserved the world, and he was glad she was happy with life at court. But sometimes, she seemed to be longing for something entirely different.

His mother smiled at him, and Percy suddenly felt his worried lift from his shoulders. Sally had that effect on others.

"Percy, dear, what's bothering you?" Her eyebrows were furrowed in concern.

He contemplated keeping his wishes a secret but perhaps his mother would understand. "Mother, are you always happy with life in Atlantis?"

She stayed silent. Percy wasn't sure if she planned on answering the question at all. Maybe this was a mistake. He began to apologize, but she waved him off.

"I suppose it is time to tell you. There's no point in keeping it a secret from you now. Percy, I wasn't born a mermaid."

He froze. "Y-you mean—"

Bitter amusement tinged her voice. "Yes, I was born a human."

He felt his jaw drop open and his eyes widen. "B-but how? How is that possible?"

Her face suddenly seemed to have aged a few years. "I didn't mean for it to happen. It was dark magic, Percy, and it must never be trifled with. I'm lucky that I still have this much of myself."

"Do you— do you regret it?" His heart was still pounding in his chest, unable to wrap his mind around the idea of his mother with two legs walking on land.

Her smile returned. "No. I would never regret meeting Poseidon and having you and Tyson. But I would be lying if I said I never missed my old life."

"How old were you?" The shock was easing a little, but he still could hardly believe it.

"About your age."

They sat in silence for a while, one pondering whether she made the right decision in telling her son the truth and the other trying to process the information he had been given.

His mother soon spoke up again, "Alright Percy, that's enough of that. It's getting late; you should go to sleep."

"Good night, Mother."

"Good night, dear."

* * *

Dark bags decorated the bottom of his eyes. Percy had hardly slept at all, tossing and turning well into the night. He couldn't stop thinking about how his mother could have switched from a human to a mermaid. What's worse is that a tiny thought wormed its way into his mind. If his mother could turn legs into a tail, shouldn't the reverse also be possible?

Shouts came from somewhere beneath his window, and upon hearing them, he immediately shot up out of bed.

Looking out at the center of the activity, he was startled to a ridiculous number merpeople racing about. He hurriedly swam down, dodging several maids and servants lining the hallways, and grabbed the arm of a random solider. "You. What's going on?"

She looked a little intimidated to be talking to the crown prince but her horror overcame her intimidation. "Sire, the queen was captured by a fishing net!"

Percy felt his blood run cold. His mother couldn't be captured. She just couldn't.

His voice hardened. "When did this happen?"

Her voice rose in pitch. "Just a few minutes ago!"

Percy started shaking in fury, turning and propelling himself as quickly as he could through the water to find his father, whom he located in a few moments standing in front of many of his soldiers and Triton.

"Father, let me go," he demanded.

Poseidon's lips thinned to a straight line. "This is not your job. Triton will lead the army to sink the ship."

He clenched his fists. "She is my mother!"

"And I am your father, and I command you to stand down."

Percy refused to flinch under his father's glare. "Father. You cannot stop me."

The king opened his mouth to yell in response, but his royal advisor, Chiron, held him back. "Sire, perhaps you should let him go. He is of age now."

Poseidon turned his glare to Chiron but then thought better of it, the fight leaving his body. He suddenly became aware of just how old his father looked. "Fine, Perseus. But promise me you'll be careful."

He bared his teeth in a wolfish smile. "When am I not?"

His father responded only by pinching his nose.

A few minutes later, Percy was leading the way to the surface, filled with apprehension and a smidge of, dare he say it, excitement. This would be his first time ever coming into contact with the open air.

100 yards. 75 yards. 50 yards. 25 yards. 10 yards. 5 yards.

He broke the surface.

The day was clear, and the sun nearly blinded him, but after blinking several times, Percy's eyes adjusted. The world looked so different from above the water. The sea was so calm the surface was almost flat.

His lungs filled with a strange sensation, the feeling of oxygen unfamiliar. The air felt cool against his face, and his eyes shut involuntarily, breathing in deeply. He didn't understand why his father strictly forbade going to the surface unless explicitly ordered by a mission. It was magical.

"Perseus!"

His eyes snapped open. He was immediately flooded with guilt, knowing that he shouldn't be indulging when his mother's life was in danger. Cursing, he vowed to return here again to truly enjoy the experience when he didn't have other things to worry about.

Triton was looking at him, his eyes filled with anger. "You know what, forget it. Just don't get in my way."

Percy felt blood rush up to his face. "I was sensing the location of the ship. The queen is in that direction," he declared, pointing to a point behind Triton.

His half-brother's eyes narrowed in suspicion but had no choice other than to accept his response.

Soon enough, the ship came into view.

It was a terrifying sight, towering over the minuscule merpeople. The dark wood seemed nearly impenetrable, and the sheer size was truly intimidating. Giant masts extended almost out of sight, and white billowing sails covered the majority of the sky. Fear, an unfamiliar emotion, suddenly filled Percy, but he shook himself. He would not allow himself to fail at first mission to the surface.

He motioned for the rest of the army to surround the ship. They would be the ones to create the storm that would eventually sink the ship.

Percy, on the other hand, would ensure the people on the ship were unable to call for help and remained unaware of the existence of their people.

He took a deep breath, waiting for the waters to start churning. Panicking yells soon reached his ears, which he took as his cue.

He opened his mouth. Chaos ensued.

Nothing felt more natural to Percy than singing. It was as if his voice took control, and all he had to do was allow it.

His song spoke of longing and desire, his feelings spilling out of him as quickly as the notes left him. The emotions he felt were so poignant the people on the ship were already jumping over the railing, in hopes of finding whatever they desired at the source of the voice, but they didn't realize that they were jumping to their doom.

Percy allowed the pain he felt from the disappearance of his mother, the turmoil he felt from the news about his mother's background, and, most of all, the intense want he felt from the tantalizing thought of exploring the land to seep into his voice. Water was splashing all around him, and the sea was roaring angrily.

The sky had darkened, and lightning cracked in the distance. Startled by the terror surrounding him, Percy's song stopped.

Before he knew it, all was silent. The rest of the army had ceased their efforts and were now watching the ship slowly fill with water. When it was nearly completely submerged, Percy, tensed, headed for the ship to find his mother.

Only the mast remained above the surface.

He swam down, not expecting to see any humans on board. When he reached what was once the deck, his eyebrows shot to the top of his forehead. To his utter shock, a figure with blond hair, clearly without a tail, was helping to untangle his mother from a net, but it was a losing battle. The person couldn't get enough air to focus on unraveling the rope, and his efforts were getting weaker and weaker. Upon looking closer, Percy noticed the blond also had a foot stuck in the net.

Questions flooded his mind. How did he manage to ignore his singing? Why was he helping his mother? Why would he risk his life to save one of another species?

Percy, hesitating to help someone who had been a part of the capture of his mother regardless of his current intentions, finally allowed his gratitude to win against his reservations.

He reached for the rope and made quick work of it. His mother was still unconscious, but, after putting his hand on her forehead, he determined she would wake soon enough. When he looked up, he was met by the most startling blue eyes that seemed to pierce through him. His heart skipped a beat, but before he could do anything else, the blue eyes slowly drifted closed.

He could hear his father's dissent clear in the back of his mind, but Percy chose to wrap an arm around his waist to carry him towards the shore, which happened to be reasonably close. They arrived shortly, and he carefully put the strange figure on the sand. He stared at the handsome face a bit longer, admiring the sharp cheekbones and the little scar on his upper lip, but he knew he had to return before his absence was too noticeable.

As he swam away, he couldn't help but feel that he had left part of himself behind.

* * *

 **AN: Just a little story I'm experimenting with :) Don't expect timely updates, I'm afraid, but please let me know what you thought!**


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